Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1887-12-30
CUNNING FOR PICTURES.
An Interesting Invention with Widespread
ing Promises.

+ An Interesting Invention With Widespread
ing Promises.
Amateur photography has made an
! other long stride forward. A new in
yention was displayed at the meeting
of the New York society. whose wide
! spread results can scarcely be con-
iectured. BY means of it photographs
will henceforth he taken as easily and
accurately at night as in the daytime,
and he photographer will, in the black
EST darkness. be able 10 literally take
an unerring shot at his subject with
photographing gun.
Hitherto the only means of photo
graphing at night have been by the
means of the Kerosene, calcium or
electric lights. All of these demanded
more or less paraphernalia and were
not portable to any available degree.
Magnesium wire, when burned, was
known to produce Il light of strong
actinic quality, aud lamp has been
devised with which to burn it for pho
Geographic purposes. 1t was not salts
factory light, however, as it was nm
steady and liable to 20 out. From
magnesium. however, Dir. II. &. Piffard
has devised exactly the thing desired.
1t consists in powdered magnesium
spread upon guncotton. The ignition
of the guncoiton furnishes the heat
necessary to set fire TO the magnesium
and the result is brilliant fash, pow
elfu enough TO sufficiently expose the
plate and easily available under any
circumstances. The photograph is in
Simultaneous The doctor first discussed
German powder invented for the
purpose. stating that while its light
effects were excellent its very explosive
quality made il dangerous article
ither 10 handle or have about. He
next discussed and exhibited mixture
If four parts of gunpowder and one
part of magnesium, which, when
flashed, answered the purpose
desired 1t WAS neither as con-
venent nor effective, however,
IN the guncotion combination. After
burning samples of these and showing
their effects, he fired IA cartridge Of
magnesium and gunpowdcr from an
ordinary revolver, showing that the
flash was quite sufficient for an nsian-
ianeous photograph. He then pro-
ceedcd to darkea the room and to pho
togrnph Mr., Robert Roosevelt. The
camera was adjusted, and ms the cap
was removed the doctor touched n
match TO small piece of powdered
cotton, The light flashed in the dark
ness, and when some minutes later the
developed plate appeared, an excellent
negative of Mr.. Roosevelt was the re-
suit Several portraits, taken the night
before. were exhibited, and the prac-
+ tical value of the invention was indis-
puh,bly established
The result will be that the amateur
photographer will henccforih go a-gun-
/ aing in the darkness and lay out on n
platc every thing he may choose to
shoot ut. The camera will be fitted to
pistol barrel or the pistol barrel to
the camera. and cooking the weapon
win expose the plate. As soon as the
weapon is aimed the flash from the
muZzle viii instantly serve to photo
sraph the object, and the game will be
securely haggcd IN II moment. The
i fleeing thici, the expression of II man
who trcads upon the unforeseen carpet
| ,ack, rs we'll as that of the husband out
bate who is trying to assume IN ex-
preston Of indifferent sobricty before
. lights the domestic gas. will now
idorn the albums, where they have
hitherto been unknown. The invcn-
ION is valuable commercially, one pho
tngrapher stating that he had con-
GUIDED to make use of it in his gallery
IS soon as the winter sunlight began
to weaken early in the afternoon. 1t
viii also greatly widen the fields oi
amusement and experiment which
have attracted SO many thousands to
amateur photography.-N y, Times.